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I am passionate about science. I believe that GM crops can be an excellent source of micronutrients

PINBOARD SUMMARY

GM crops such as golden rice are biofortified with micronutrients essential for growing up healthily

"Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in more than half of all countries, especially in Africa and South-East Asia, hitting hardest young children and pregnant women in low-income countries." - WHO

What happens if someone has a prolonged dietary deficiency in provitamin A? Provitamin A is the precursor for vitamin A, which is essential for normal growth and development, for the maintenance of the immune system and a normal vision. The long-term deficiency in vitamin A increases the risk of suffering from diseases and severe infections which can even lead to death.

For children, a vitamin A deficiency leads to severe visual impairment and even blindness. The risk of a severe illness, and even death, from childhood infections such as diarrhoeal diseases or measles is significantly increased.

For pregnant women, the highest risk of suffering from a vitamin A deficiency occurs in the last trimester when the demand by both the fetus and the mother is highest. This deficiency comes with a high prevalence of night blindness.

How can vitamin A deficiency be reduced in high-risk areas?
Supplementing food with adequate vitamin A in high-risk areas can significantly reduce mortality. The periodic supply of high-dose vitamin A capsules has shown to reduce mortality by 23% overall and by up to 50% for acute measles sufferers. However, the effect of a capsule lasts only a few months and long-term solutions are needed.

This is when food fortification takes over. People living in developing countries who can only afford a diet of starchy staples, such as rice, are particularly vulnerable to vitamin A deficiency. Since rice is widely produced and consumed, the biotechnologically engineered Golden Rice has the potential to provide many people with essential amounts of vitamin A.